Lumber sticker



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Ll l BY 5:2; $2 M,

ATTORNEY.

Patented Nov. 3l), 1926.

Uhll'lfED STATES Peteur ortica.

LUMBER STICKER.

Application filed June 3, 1925.

My invention relates to improvements in devices commonly known as cross-sticks or stickers, l'or use in separating courses ot boards, planks, squares, and lumber in other 5 forms, when stacked or piled on skids or trucks, in kilns, or otherwise, for drying purposes, and consists essentially and generally or broadly ot an element of appropriate size in cross section and length, having' top and bottom sides spaced apart to permit of the -tree circulation of air laterally through such element, all as hereinafter more fully set forth;

Heretotore lumber stickers have been ot sucli a character that no passage of air laterally through them has been possible, with the result that lumber separated thereby was subjected to crosswise instead ot lengthwise currents ot' air. In consequence of this lumber thus separated was unevenly dried and caused to warp. The primary object of my invention is, therefore, `to provide stickers that permit the air, which may or may not be heated or heated and rendered humid, to pass lengthwise ot the lumber separated by such stickers, the air thus taking the direction ot the sap in the tree troni which the lumber is cut, and, therefore, what may be said to be the natural direction. rl`he warping incident to the old method is thus eliminated, and the lumber caused to be dried evenly, and to be llat and straight at the end ot the drying process.

A further object ot Amy invention is to produce a sticker which is comparatively light `in weight, and 'at the same time strong and durable, and one which can be readily manufactured at a comparatively low cost.

1With these stickers lumber can be piled flat, edgewise, or vertically as may be desired, or depending on the nature ot the drying element employed, or the character of the mechanical means used, or both. In short, my sticker is adapted to be applied in the loading, stacking, or piling of lumber in its various torins in' any manner in which the old type ci sticker is adapt-ed to be used.

A s is well known, stakes are frequently or usually employed to confine the lumber in piles, and hold the wooden cross-sticks iii place, and it is understood that these and Serial No. 34,598.

any other devices, commonly used for keeping said cross-sticks in place in the load or pile, may be used in connection with my sticker.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the course o'f the following description.

I attain the objects and secure the advantages of my invention by the means illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in whicli- Figure l is a side elevation ci' a sticker which embodies a practical form of my invention, a portion intermediate ot the ends of the same being broken out; Fig. 2, a cross section through said sticker; Fig. 3, a longitudinal, vertical section through an end portion of said sticker, and, Fig. 4, a side elevation ot a pile ot boards the courses foi which are separated by my stickers.

Similar reference characters designate similar parts throughout the several views. in Fig. Li a pile ci' boards l is represented, with stickers between the .courses thereof. The boards i'night be piied with the longitudinal edges ot one board respectively resting on a lci'igitudinal edge of the board below and supporting the board above by a longitudinal edge thereof, or theyniight be arranged on end or vertically, in either ot which events it would be necessary to provide suitable support-ing means for these stickers, just as it is in the case ot stickers ot the old type.

The sticker, in the torni illustrated in connection herewith, comprises upper and under sides consisting oi strips ot sheetmetal having their fend portions bent into contigu'ity to produce the ends of the sticker. and a separator 3 consisting ot a strip ot sheet-metal bent into a fgenerally zigzag shape, as hereinafter described, together with vertical `end lianges li, horizontal end flanges 5 and t3, and horizontal intermediate flanges Y and 8. The separator 3 not only separates or holds apart the top and bottom sides 2, but also supports said top side and the load thereon, and assists in securing the said sides together, or iii producing a strong and'comparatively rigid structure.

nach end of the sticker consists oi' end portions 'of the topand bottom-side strips '2 bent at right-anglesto the major portions ot such strips, and fastened together by a pair of the flanges 4, one of such end portions, as 9, being bent downwardly (or upwardly), and the other of such end portions, as 10, being bent upwardly (or downwardly) outside of the other. The flanges 4 project from the vertical edges of the outer end pieces l() to engage the end pieces 9. Each flange 4 eX- tends over the adjacent edge of the contiguous end piece 9, and inwardly onto the inner face of said last-named end piece. Thus it is seen that the end pieces 9 and 10, at each end of the sticker, are securely fastened together at their vertical edges.

The separator strip is bent to form alternately arranged, top and bottom, horizontal, supporting parts 1.1-11 connected by oblique parts. The parts il are contiguous with thev inner surfaces of the upperand under-side strips 2, and are securely attached to said strips by means of the flanges 6 and 7. rlhe flanges 7 are arranged .in pairs and extend from opposite longitu- Y dinal edges of the topand bottom-side strips 2, and said flanges in each pair are bent over the lateral edges of one of the supporting parts 10 and inwardly against the inner surface of such part. rlhe flanges 8 are also arranged in pairs and extend from opposite longitudinal edges of the upperand under-side strips 2, and said flanges are bent inwardly against the inner surfaces of said strips, between the supporting parts l0, and thus assist in holding the separator 3 in place and stiening the structure. The pairs of flanges 8 alternate with the pairs of flanges 7. rlhere is a pair of flanges 5 at each end of the sticker, and these flanges are similar to the flanges 8, except that said first-named flanges are shorter than the others, and those' in the two pairs extend from the adjacent end pieces 9, Yrespectively above and below the upper and lower ends of the adjacent flanges 4, to the supports 1l which are next adjacent lto said end pieces. The supports l1, at the ends of' the separator 3, terminate at the end pieces l0, after respectively passing under and over the 'lower and upper ends of the flanges 4 and end pieces 9. Each flange 6, at each end of the sticker, is shorter than any flange 7, and is in the same vertical plane with the adjacent flange 4, the abutting edges of said flanges 6 and 4 being cut at any angle of 45 degrees.

The separator 3 forms a truss for the top and bottom sides 2, which truss maintains said sides in spaced and parallel relationship, and said separator and the fastening means, comprising the flanges 5, 6, 7, and 8, make the structure strong and durable, comparatively rigid, and capable of carrying or supporting the weight of the lumber piled on the sticker.

The space between the top and bottom sides 2 and the enlds of each sticker is open, except, of course, where the oblique parts of the separator 3 cut edgewise across the same, consequently air can pass freely through the stickers lengthwise ofthe boards l, instead of, as heretofore, only between said stickers.

More or less change in the shape, size, construction, and arrangement of some or all of the parts of' this device may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention or exceeding the scope of what is claimed.

llhat l claim as my invention, and'desire to secure by Letters Patent, is*

l. A lumber sticker comprising top and bottom members, and a separator between which permits air to pass'laterally through the sticker, said top and bottom members being provided with flanges to engage said separator and secure the parts together.

2, A lumber sticker comprising top and bottom sides, and a separator bent to form alternately arranged upper and under supports which are in Contact with said top and bottom sides, the latter being provided with flanges to engage the cont-acting parts of said supports.

3. A lumber sticker comprising top and bottom sides, a separa-tor bent to forni alternately arranged upper and under supports which are in contact with said top and bottom sides, the latterbeing provided with flanges to engage the contacting parts of said supports, and means against said sides and between said supports to assist in retaining the latter in spaced relationship.

4. A lumber sticker comprising top and bottom sides, and a separator bent to form alternately arranged upper and under supports which contact with said top and bottom sides, the latter being provided with flanges to engage the contacting parts of' said supports, and with flanges which are bent inwardly between said supports.

5. A lumber sticker comprising top and bottom sides having end portions bent into contiguity and integral means to secure such bent end portions together, a separator having a generally zigzag form and introduced between said top and bottom sides, and means to secure said sides and separator together.

6. A lumber sticker' comprising top and Vbottom sides having their end portions bent into contiguity, one of such bent portions at each end ot the sticker being provided with flanges to embrace the vertical edge portions of the other of such bent portions at such end of the sticker, a separator having a generally zigzag form and introduced between said top and bottom sides, and means to vsecure said top and bottom sides and said separator together.

7. A lumber sticker comprising top and lll? lit)

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bottom sides having end portions bent into and under supports which are n Contact eontgnty, one of such bent portions at with said top and bottom sides, the latter each end of the sticker being povclecl With being provided With flanges to engage the 10 flanges to embrace the vertical edge porcontacting parts of said supports, and with tiene of the Otlne` of such bent portions at flanges which are bent inwardly between such end of the sticker, and a separator said supports, bent to forno alternately arranged upper GEORGE F. ALEXANDER. 

